On Dec. 3, 1818, Illinois became the 21 st state. As the capital city and home of Abraham Lincoln, Springfield is ideally suited to host engaging and educational Bicentennial celebrations. Museum exhibits, outdoor murals and lectures at sites throughout Springfield are just some of the Bicentennial offerings. For more information, go to http://www.il200springfield.org/. See the calendar section for more details on specific programs.
EXHIBITIONS
From Illinois to the White House: Lincoln, Grant, Reagan, Obama Special Bicentennial Exhibition at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum March 23-Dec. 31, 2018
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) will help celebrate the state’s 200 th birthday with a major new exhibit about the four presidents who have called Illinois their home. “From Illinois to the White House: Lincoln, Grant, Reagan, Obama,” will explore their connections to the Prairie State, their political battles, the first ladies who helped them succeed and much more.
Objects in the exhibit include Ronald Reagan’s yearbook from his high school days in Dixon, the table where Ulysses S. Grant accepted Robert E. Lee’s surrender during the Civil War, an original draft of Barack Obama’s speech at the 50 th anniversary of the Selma civil rights march and the briefcase Abraham Lincoln used as president.
These items come from, among others, the U. S. Grant State Historic Site, Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Barack Obama Presidential Library, National Portrait Gallery, Chicago History Museum and Wayne Whalen, chair emeritus of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation. 212 N. 6 th Street, www.PresidentLincoln.Illinois.gov
Bicentennial and Beyond: The Illinois Legacy Collection Special Bicentennial Exhibition at the Illinois State Museum June 30, 2018 - February 3, 2019
The Illinois State Museum will present a major new exhibition in celebration of the state’s 200 th birthday, featuring rare and rarely seen artifacts from the museum’s 13.5 million-object Illinois Legacy Collection to highlight the dynamic story of Illinois. This exhibition will include artifacts representing geology, anthropology, zoology, art and history, chosen for the unique story they tell about Illinois. Reflecting the fact that the complete story of Illinois goes well beyond the 200 years since statehood, artifacts will range from 400 million-year-old fossils to contemporary art. Visitors will see a helmet worn by a World War I soldier, a trunk brought by German immigrants in 1852, a core segment from Route 66, a piece of contemporary art created of cowhide, an Olney albino gray tree squirrel mount and a portrait miniature done by an itinerant Illinois artist, among many other treasures.
Visitors will explore, discover, learn and share the history, prehistory and natural history of Illinois through the discovery of these featured objects and the fascinating stories behind them. 502 S. Spring St., 217- 782-7386, www.illinoisstatemuseum.org
The New Golden Book Art Competition, Springfield Art Association June 1-24
The Springfield Art Association will host an exhibition of the winners of the Sangamon County K-12 student writing and art contest, sponsored by the City of Springfield, Mayor Jim Langfelder, HSHS St. John’s Hospital, The Center for Prevention – Heart Attack and Stroke, Sangamon County Medical Society, Barnes and Noble and Springfield Art Association. There will be a reception on Friday, June 8, from 5:30 – 7:30pm. All of the winners of the art and writing contest will be included in The New Golden Book of Springfield to be published in the fall of 2018. 700 N. 4 th St., www.springfieldart.org
The Story of Illinois: The Illinois Bicentennial through Museum Objects Online Exhibition
The Illinois State Museum and Illinois Association of Museums are collaborating on a new website in celebration of the state’s Bicentennial. The Story of Illinois virtual exhibit will include objects and artifacts from museums and other cultural organizations that tell the history of Illinois. The website will be changing throughout the year, with additions from museums across the state. http://story.illinoisstatemuseum.org
SPEAKER SERIES
The Culture and Heritage of Illinoisans Bicentennial Lecture Series at the Illinois State Museum
The Illinois State Museum is hosting a special series of programs at 2pm on the third Sunday of every month from February through October 2018. “The Culture and Heritage of Illinoisans” series is presented in collaboration with the Academy of Lifelong Learning at Lincoln Land Community College. Programs will highlight Native American settlements, the establishment of early government, the role of transportation in binding the state together, the anti-slavery movement, the roles of entrepreneurs and employees, prairie and agricultural growth, art and literature and a presentation of the music that has been part of Illinois’ 200-year history. 502 S. Spring St., www. illinoisstatemuseum.org Programs are free. See calendar section for more details.
Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow: Springfield’s Bicentennial Town Hall Series
The “Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” speaker series is inspired in part by Vachel Lindsay’s The Golden Book of Springfield. Written between 1908 and 1918, The Golden Book was a part of Lindsay’s response to the 1908 Springfield Race Riots, in which he imagined a utopian Springfield in 2018 that was a center of tolerance, artistry and imagination. The Illinois Bicentennial Coordinating Committee of Springfield is collaborating with local organizations and sites to offer a unique look at 10 topics of importance in today’s Springfield through the lens of yesterday and tomorrow. See calendar section for a complete list of programs. http://www.il200springfield.org/
The Illinois History Forum
The 2018 Illinois History Forum, created and organized by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, will include sessions on Lincoln, Lewis and Clark, Ronald Reagan and Ulysses S. Grant as well as the former capital city of Vandalia during Lincoln’s time, the history of Springfield’s many colorful signs and Chicago during the Great Migration. The free forums take place every two months on the second Thursday at noon at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library (except the March program which will be held at Ace Sign Co. and an additional program will be held Sept. 6). Each one focuses on a different book or museum exhibit. See calendar section for details about individual programs. www.PresidentLincoln.Illinois.gov
Tales from the Vault The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and Illinois State Museum are collaborating to present a series of programs highlighting some of the treasures of these museums’ collections. Programs will take place from April through December at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and the Illinois State Museum’s Research and Collections Center. See the calendar section for details about specific programs. www.illinoisstatemuseum.org
MURALS
Springfield Art Association Bicentennial Mural – East Clear Lake Avenue
A Bicentennial mural featuring 22 image panels highlighting great moments in Illinois history will be installed on East Clear Lake Avenue near the pedestrian bridge at the gateway entrance to downtown. More than half of the images will focus on Springfield. The community mural project involves both students and professional artists. Students from the Springfield Art Association’s High School Public Art Class, along with a group from the Catholic Heart Work Camp, will work on the mural during the week of July 23. The mural will be a permanent addition to Springfield’s public art.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
The Illinois Top 200
Illinoisans can celebrate the state’s 200 th birthday by choosing the 200 greatest people, places and things in state history in online voting coordinated by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and the State Journal-Register. Throughout 2018, the public will get to select the best movies, most inspiring leaders, greatest books, top businesses and much more. By the state’s 200 th birthday on Dec. 3, voters will have chosen 10 favorites in 20 different categories -- the Illinois Top 200. Everyone is invited to suggest possible nominees in each category on social media using the hashtag #ILTop10.
Illinois Constitution Day – August 26
Illinois’ first constitution was adopted Aug. 26, 1818. In recognition of this anniversary, there will be many celebratory activities, including the grand opening of the Illinois Realtors Bicentennial Plaza, as well as the opening of the newly restored Governor’s Mansion. The Lincoln Home National Historic Site will host activities and re-enactors. The Hoogland Center and Vachel Lindsay Association will also participate, and festivities will continue along Jackson Street. http://www.il200springfield.org/
Move 200
During the month of October, all members of the Springfield community will be encouraged to participate in “Move 200” by moving 200 minutes each week and submitting their minutes to the Springfield Bicentennial Coordinating Committee, which will tally the results and publish the total number of hours. http://www.il200springfield.org/
Bicentennial Minutes
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Mid-West Family Broadcasting and Illinois State Museum are teaming up to present “Bicentennial Minutes” throughout 2018. The daily radio spots highlight key people, events and dates in Illinois history, from triumphs such as Lincoln’s election as president to tragedies such as the sinking of the S.S. Eastland, which killed 844 people. http://www.wmay.com/illinois200/
Special Bicentennial Publication
The New Golden Book of Springfield will be published in the fall of 2018. The book will contain all essay and art winners, photos of Bicentennial visitors and events and essays from Springfield leaders about what Springfield will be like in 2118.
For more information about the Illinois Bicentennial statewide, go to https://www.illinois200.org/
For more information about local Bicentennial activities, go to http://www.il200springfield.org/
